Tracheal tube securing strap

ABSTRACT

A tracheal tube securing strap is adapted to wrap around a patient&#39;s head or neck and hold a tracheal tube in a desired position with respect to the patient. The securing strap includes a nonadhesive central portion that is positioned around the back of a patient&#39;s head or neck, an adhesive intermediate portion positioned on each side of the central portion which is covered by a removable release liner, and a bifurcated end portion disposed at each end of the strap and temporarily covered by separate release liners.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates generally to a device for retaining a trachealtube in a predetermined position with respect to an entry orifice in apatient, and more particularly to such device having predefined adhesiveand nonadhesive portions.

2. Background Art

Tracheal tubes are commonly used to provide a passageway to the tracheaof a patient. The tube may be inserted through the nose, mouth, or anopening through the neck of the patient. Once inserted, it is necessaryto prevent movement of the tube with respect to the opening throughwhich it passes. Typically, adhesive tape wrapped around the tube andextending to the adjoining skin surface of the patient, is used tosecure the tube against undesired movement or dislocation. However, theuse of short strips of adhesive tape to secure a tracheal tube hasseveral inherent disadvantages. First, it is awkward to hold the tubeagainst movement with one hand, and tear the required length of tapefrom a roll of tape and place the tape around the tube and secure it tothe patient with the remaining hand. To overcome this problem, twopeople are often used to place and secure a tracheal tube; one to holdthe tube in the desired position after insertion, and the other to applythe tape. Alternatively, if only one person is available, it is commonpractice to tear several strips, of hopefully the correct length, from aroll of tape, and temporarily stick one end of each strip on aconvenient surface such as a bedside table, wall, or bed rail. Thispractice may result in undesirable contamination of the tape. Also, ifit is desired to reposition the tube after initial placement, it isgenerally necessary to remove all of the previously applied tape,reposition the tube, and then apply new tape. Furthermore, it is easyfor adhesive tape to stick to a patient's hair, making the tapedifficult to remove and potentially painful for the patient.

The present invention is directed to overcoming the problems set forthabove. It is desirable to have a means for securing a tracheal tube in adesired position that is convenient to use and will effectively preventundesired migration of the tube once secured at a desired position. Itis also desirable to have a tracheal tube securing, or retaining, meansthat can be partially removed to adjust or service the tracheal tubewithout complete removal of the securing means. Additionally, it isdesirable to have such a tracheal tube securing means that is protectedagainst sticking to a patient's hair and has adhesive surfaces that areprotected against contamination until secured to a patient. Furthermore,it is desirable to have a tracheal tube securing means that is compactin size and requires minimum storage space, enabling it to beconveniently carried on an emergency medical care crash cart.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a tracheal tubesecuring strap includes an elongated strip having a surface coated withan adhesive material, a pair of spaced-apart ends each having a slotextending inwardly from each of the ends and forming a bifurcated endportion at each of the ends. A central portion of the elongated strip isdisposed substantially midway between each of the ends. The elongatedstrip also has a pair of intermediate portions, with one of theintermediate portions being respectively disposed between the centralportion and one of the bifurcated end portions. The tracheal tubesecuring strap also includes a layer of release liner removably attachedto the adhesive coated surface of each member of each pair of thebifurcated end portions of the elongated strip, a layer of nonadhesivematerial adhesively attached to the adhesive coated surface of thecentral portion of the elongated strip, and a layer of release linerremovably attached to the adhesive coated surface of each of theintermediate portions of the elongated strip.

Other features of the tracheal tube securing strap embodying the presentinvention include the elongated strip having a length to width ratio offrom about 15:1 to about 25:1, and each of the pair of bifurcated endportions comprising from about 10% to about 30% of length of the strip.Other features of the tracheal tube securing strap embodying the presentinvention include the central portion of the elongated strip comprisingfrom about 25% to about 35% of the length of the strip and each of theintermediate portions having a length comprising from about 5% to about20% of the length of the strip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the structure and operation of thepresent invention may be had by reference to the following detaileddescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the tracheal tube securing strap embodying thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the tracheal tube securing strap embodying thepresent invention with overlying components of the strap shown in spacedrelationship;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a patient with a tracheal tube extending fromthe patient's mouth and secured in place by the tracheal tube securingstrap embodying the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a frontal view of a patient with a tracheal tube extendingfrom the patient's mouth and secured in place by the tracheal tubesecuring strap embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a frontal view of a patient with a tracheal tube extendingfrom the patient's nose and secured in place by the tracheal tubesecuring strap embodying the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A tracheal tube securing strap 10, embodying the present invention,comprises an elongated carrier strip 12 formed of an adhesive tapehaving one surface coated with an adhesive material. In the preferredembodiment, the adhesive tape is preferably a cloth-backed tape that iscoated with a non-allergenic adhesive. Desirably, the elongated strip 12has a length-to-width ratio of from about 15:1 to about 25:1. In thepreferred embodiment, the elongated strip 12 has an overall length ofabout 30 in. (76 cm) and a width of about 1.5 in. (4 cm), providing alength-to-width ratio of about 20:1. Desirably, the elongated strip 12has a length sufficient to encircle a patient's head or neck and hasadhesive portions at each end of the strip of appropriate length tosecure a tracheal tube 11, as shown in FIGS. 3-5, in a desired positionwith respect to the patient.

The elongated strip 12 has a slot formed in each end of the strip toprovide a pair of bifurcated end portions 14, one member of the pairbeing disposed at respective spaced apart ends of the strip 12. Each ofthe bifurcated end portions 14 comprises two fingers 16, each of whichare covered by a layer of release liner 18 removably attached to theadhesive coated surface of the strip 12 . Desirably, each of the releaseliners 18 have a short tab, provided at the inward end of the liner,that is not adhesively attached to the elongated strip 12 to aid removalof the release liners 18 in a manner described below in greater detail.

Preferably, each of the bifurcated end portions 14 have a length thatcomprises from about 10% to about 30% of the predetermined length of thestrip 12. In the preferred illustrative embodiment, each of the fingers16 have a length of about 6.5 in. (16.5 cm), forming about 22% of thetotal length of the strip 12.

The elongated adhesive-coated strip 12 also includes a central portion20 that is disposed substantially midway between each of the ends of thestrip 12. The central portion 20 is covered by a layer of nonadhesivematerial 22, such as a disposable nonwoven material, that is adhesivelysecured to the adhesive-coated surface of the central portion 20. Thenonadhesive layer advantageously prevents the tracheal tube securingstrap 10 from sticking to a patient's hair when the strap is positionedaround a patient's head or neck. Desirably, the covered central portion20 of the elongated strip 12 has a length that comprises from about 25%to about 40% of the length of the strip 12. In the preferredillustrative embodiment, the central portion 20 of the elongated strip12 has a length from about 8 in. (20 cm) to about 11 in. (28 cm), andpreferably about 9.5 in (24 cm), extending along about 31% of theoverall length of the strip 12.

The elongated adhesive strip 12 also includes a pair of intermediateportions 24, with one member of the pair being respectively disposedbetween the central portion 20 and a respective one of the bifurcatedend portions 14 of the strip 12. Desirably, each of the intermediateportions 24 have a length comprising from about 5% to about 25% of thelength of the strip 12. In the illustrative preferred embodiment, eachof the intermediate portions 24 have a length of about 4 in. (10 cm),comprising about 13% of the length of the elongated strip 12. Each ofthe intermediate portions 24 is covered by a relatively thick layer ofrelease liner 26 that is removably attached to the respective adhesivecoated surface of the intermediate portions 24 of the elongated strip12, and in similar manner, to the release liner 18 removably attached toeach of the fingers 16, has an inwardly extending tab that is notsecured to the adhesive coated surface of the strip 12. The relativelythicker release liners 26 on the intermediate portions 24, incooperation with the layer of nonadhesive material 22 on the centralportion 20, enable the securing strap 10 to be easily slipped under areclining patient's head or neck without lifting the patient.

Thus, the adhesive surface of the intermediate portion 24 can be exposedindependently of the adhesive surface in the bifurcated end portions 14of the strip, and the tracheal tube securing strap 10 adhesively securedto the cheeks or side portions of the neck of a patient by removal ofthe release liners 26 prior to removing the release liners 18 from thefingers 16.

When used to retain the tracheal tube 11 at a predetermined positionwith respect to a patient's mouth, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, or nostrilopening, as shown in FIG. 5, or a neck opening through the wall of thetrachea, the tracheal tube securing strap 10 is positioned behind apatient's head or neck, in accordance with the desired location of thetracheal tube 11. The release liners 26 are then removed from each ofthe intermediate portions 24, and the securing strap 10 brought upalongside the patient's cheek or neck and adhesively attached to thecheek or neck surface. The tracheal tube 11 may then be inserted intothe appropriate opening in the patient and positioned in a desiredorientation. However, if desired, the tracheal tube 11 may be positionedprior to adhesively attaching the intermediate portions 24 to thepatient.

The release liner 18 may then be independently removed from one of thefingers 16 and the adhesively coated finger 16 wrapped around thetracheal tube 11 and secured to the patient. The release liner 18 isthen removed from a second finger 16, wrapped around the tracheal tube11, and secured to the patient's skin. This process is repeated, asrequired with the remaining fingers 18, until all four fingers aredesirably wrapped around the tracheal tube 11 and secured to thepatient. In some applications, it may be desirable to use one one of thefingers 16 of each of the bifurcated end portions 14 to secure thetracheal tube. In those instances, one of the fingers 16 at each end ofthe retaining strap 10 may be attached to the patient, and the remainingstrap at each end used to secure the tracheal tube 11. In otherapplications, one or more of the fingers 16 may not be needed, in whichcase the release liner 18 may remain adhesively attached to the unusedfingers 16, or the unused fingers 16 removed by tearing or cutting witha knife or scissors. Advantageously, the provision of separate releaseliners 18, 26, with unattached tabs at the ends of each release liner,permit each respective portion of the elongated strip 12 to remaincovered, and thus protected from inadvertent contamination, until readyfor actual attachment to the patient's cheeks, neck, or tracheal tube.

Thus, it can be seen that the tracheal tube securing strap 10 embodyingthe present invention provides a number of important advantages over theconventional adhesive tape strips commonly used to position and retaintracheal tubes. The tracheal tube securing strap 10 avoids adhesivesurfaces coming into contact with a patient's hair and yet is securelyand independently secured to each side of the patient's face. Thus, thetube contacting fingers 16 can be partially removed from engagement withthe tracheal tube 11 to shift, reposition, or otherwise service the tube11, without removing the strap 10 from the patient. Also, the adhesivesurfaces of the elongated strip 12 are protected against inadvertentcontamination by the release liners 18, 26 which respectively cover thefingers 16 and intermediate portions 24 of the strip 12. Moreover, thetracheal tube securing strap 10 is easy to use, requiring only oneperson to secure a tracheal tube, and has a compact size, enabling thesecuring strap 10 to be included in the supplies normally carried on amedical emergency cart. The above advantages of the tracheal tubesecuring strap 10, embodying the present invention, can be readilyappreciated by a health care provider, such as a doctor, nurse, ortechnician, particularly when working in an intensive care unit.

Although the present invention is described in terms of a preferredexemplary embodiment, with specific illustrative key dimensions andmaterials, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes in thoseillustrative dimensions and materials may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention. Such changes are intended to fall withinthe scope of the following claims. Other aspects, features, andadvantages of the present invention may be obtained from a study of thisdisclosure and the drawings, along with the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A tracheal tube securing strap, comprising:anelongated strip having a surface coated with an adhesive materialcontinuous from one end to another, a pair of spaced apart ends eachhaving a slot extending inwardly from each of said ends and therebyforming a bifurcated end portion at each of said ends, a central portiondisposed substantially midway between each of said ends, and a pair ofintermediate portions each member of said pair being respectivelydisposed between said central portion and a respective one of saidbifurcated end portions; a layer of release liner removably attached tothe adhesive coated surface of the each member of each of said pair ofbifurcated end portions of the elongated strip; a layer of nonadhesivematerial adhesively attached to the adhesive coated surface of thecentral portion of the elongated strip; and a layer of release linerremovably attached to the adhesive coated surface of each of saidintermediate portions of the elongated strip; wherein said layer ofrelease liner of said intermediate portion is separate from said layerof release liner of said end portions and said non-adhesive material ofsaid central portion. and said strip is configured to secure a trachealtube around a human head.
 2. A tracheal tube securing strap, as setforth in claim 1, wherein said elongated strip has a predeterminedlength and each of said pair of bifurcated end portions comprise fromabout 10% to about 30% of said predetermined length of the strip.
 3. Atracheal tube securing strap, as set forth in claim 2, wherein saidelongated strip has a length of about 30 in (76 cm) and each of saidpair of bifurcated end portions has a length of about 6.5 in (16.5 cm).4. A tracheal tube securing strap, as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidelongated strip has a length to width ration of from about 15:1 to about25:1.
 5. A tracheal tube securing strap, as set forth in claim 4,wherein said elongated strip has a length of about 30 in (76 cm) and awidth of about 1.5 in (4 cm).
 6. A tracheal tube securing strap, as setforth in claim 1, wherein said elongated strip has a predeterminedlength and said central portion of said elongated strip comprises fromabout 25% to about 35% of said predetermined length of the strip.
 7. Atracheal tube securing strap, as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidcentral portion of said elongated strip has a length of from about 8 in(20 cm) to about 11 in (28 cm).
 8. A tracheal tube securing strap, asset forth in claim 1, wherein said elongated strip has a predeterminedlength and each of said intermediate portions of the elongated striphave a length comprising from about 5% to about 20% of saidpredetermined length of the strip.
 9. A tracheal tube securing strap, asset forth in claim 1, wherein each of said intermediate portions of theelongated strip have a length of about 4 in (10 cm).
 10. A tracheal tubesecuring strap, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said elongated strip isformed of an adhesive coated cloth tape.
 11. A tracheal tube securingstrap, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said layer of nonadhesivematerial adhesively attached to the adhesive coated surface of thecentral portion of the elongated strip comprises a layer of disposablenonwoven material.